THE MANSE AND ITS INMATES. 519 



lached friend, gone to that place whence she can never again join 

 you, but where assuredly you will join her.'' 



And to Ruth they were indeed useful. Whatever might have 

 been Miss Crofts' original disposition, many circumstances had con- 

 bined to give her habits of strict economy and careful accumulation, 

 which had pretty generally, in her limited sphere of action, been 

 found to bring upon her the imputation of being miserly. She could, 

 however, give, and sometimes had done so ; but to throzo away was 

 beyond her powers of exertion. She turned every thing also to its 

 best use, and rendered its services surprisingly lasting ; while such 

 were her talents for packing, or making the most of a given space, 

 that it was long ere Ruth was fully aware of the extent of her trea- 

 sures. Rarely indeed did she, with all her neatness and ingenuity, 

 investigate a small portion of her acquisition that she was able to re- 

 place it without an extension of its bulk. 



She found herself the possessor of a very good instrument, a 

 square one, but of Broadwood's best manufacture, — of a prodigious 

 quantity of music, much of the time of Handel and his immediate 

 successors, but also a great deal of the most modern, fashionable, and 

 expensive compositions, all classed, bound, and indexed, — drawing 

 materials, examples, and fancy works almost sufficient to stock a 

 tolerable shop, — all her best articles of dress, — and a few ornaments, 

 the most valuable as well as useful of which was a good watch. 



After the funeral Mrs. Somerive told Ruth that, as the half year 

 was nearly two-thirds expired, she should continue to fill Miss Crofts' 

 situation ; and if, at its conclusion, the parents of the young ladies 

 should be satisfied, it should be confirmed to her at its usual salary, 

 forty pounds. Ruth did so ; and not only was her continuance ge- 

 nerally approved of, but many little tokens of kindness were brought 

 for her acceptance by her young pupils. 



Every body, indeed, approved of the arrangement, excepting Miss 

 Povey ; and, as she did not succeed to Ruth as Iluth had succeeded to 

 Miss Crofts, she considered herself exceedingly ill-used, and, in high 

 indignation, threw up her situation, which however she was very 

 liappy to resume two years afterwards at her own humble entreaty, 

 having never during the interval met with an employment in which 

 she could consider herself placed with an equal prospect of pleasure, 

 profit, and permanence. 



When Ruth had passed three happy years at ErLsburgh House 

 she was shocked and afflicted beyond measure to find that Mrs. 

 Somerive intended to part with her ; nor could all the kind reason- 

 ing of that lady satisfy her feelings, however it might force the un- 

 willing conviction of her judgment. Mrs. Somerive could raise Ruth 

 no higher in her own establishment, as she was under engagements 

 to her employers that her principal teacher should always be a native 

 Parisian ; and she considered her, from morals, temper, and manners, 

 as peculiarly fitted for the situation of governess in a family. She 

 knew how often that was a post of suffering and humiliation; and, 

 from the circumstance of her not being the daughter of a gentleman, 

 fhe was unwilling to recommend her to any of her own aristocratic 

 connections in London or its immediate neighbourhoood ; but she 



